{"id":6801,"date":"2023-08-07T18:57:13","date_gmt":"2023-08-07T18:57:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kyhorsepark.wpenginepowered.com\/?page_id=6801"},"modified":"2025-01-23T09:55:38","modified_gmt":"2025-01-23T14:55:38","slug":"da-hoss","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kyhorsepark.com\/memorial-walk-of-champions\/da-hoss\/","title":{"rendered":"Da Hoss"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Da Hoss<\/h1>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Thoroughbred Gelding<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Quick Facts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Earnings<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

$1.9 million<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Record<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

20 starts, 12-5-2<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Retired<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

1999<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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A plain bay gelding with two white socks, Da Hoss<\/em> may not stand out in a crowd, but his accomplishments made him a giant<\/mark> among equine athletes.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The story of Da Hoss includes an eccentric British trainer, patient owners and a courageous equine athlete who overcame numerous physical issues to stage an unlikely and emotional comeback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Purchased as a weanling for only $6,000, it\u2019s apparent that Da Hoss did not \u201clook\u201d like a champion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His speed was apparent early in his career. In the ATBA Stakes, he blazed six furlongs in 1:07 \u2155, a new world record for two-year-olds. Da Hoss proved that he could stretch that speed out as a three-year-old, winning graded stakes on dirt and turf at distances from 6 furlongs to 1\u00bc miles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The world took notice in the 1996 Breeders’ Cup Mile<\/a>, when Da Hoss defeated European turf specialists Spinning World and Mark of Esteem.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Da Hoss\u2019 absence from racing redefined the meaning of a \u201clong\u201d layoff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back in training following the victory, his return to racing took a series of wrong turns. He missed all of 1997 and most of 1998 due to a variety of physical problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Da Hoss\u2019 competitive spirit actually complicated his recovery. Even while training, he always wanted to give 100%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He returned to the starting gate in the fall of 1998, just three weeks prior to that year\u2019s Breeders’ Cup races, and won an allowance race at Colonial Downs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Racing fans and experts alike were shocked<\/a> at the announcement that Da Hoss was entered in the 1998 BC Mile, where he would once again face the best in the world. . . after only one race<\/strong> in two years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In an earth-shaking upset, Da Hoss showed grit, class and courage. In deep stretch, he was passed by British runner Hawksley Hill, and it looked like a second-place finish would be the best Da Hoss could accomplish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, Da Hoss battled back, dug in for the final strides, and staged \u201cthe greatest comeback since Lazarus\u201d <\/a>with the win.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cRarely has there been a winning race that showed off such a tremendous training feat<\/mark> and such courage from a horse.\u201d<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Lexington Herald Leader<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Michael Dickinson, Da Hoss\u2019s trainer for his big wins, earned two nicknames: \u201cMad Genius\u201d and \u201cPicky Dicky.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Da Hoss had to deal with physical problems from early on. His trainer explains some of the hurdles they had to overcome here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Da Hoss was the first gelding to win two Breeder\u2019s Cup races.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Notable Wins<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

1994<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"trophy<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
ATBA Stakes<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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1995<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"trophy<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Del Mar Invitational Derby (G2)<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"trophy<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Jersey Derby (G2)<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"trophy<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Best Turn Stakes (G3)<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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1996 & 1998<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"trophy<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Breeder\u2019s Cup Mile (G1)<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\u201cIn any sport, human or equine, it’s tough to get to the top and win the crown, lose it, and win it back again. We’ll need a minor miracle<\/mark><\/em>.\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Michael Dickinson, before 1998 BC Mile<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Facts<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Earnings<\/p>\n\n\n\n

$1.9 million<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Record<\/p>\n\n\n\n

20 starts, 12-5-2<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Retired<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1999<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Pedigree<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Gone West,
Jolly Saint<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Nickname<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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The Comeback King<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Attributes<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Bay Gelding<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Foaled<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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1992<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Died<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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January 2022<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Height<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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16 hands<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Trainer<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Michael Dickinson, Kevin Eikleberry<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Breeders<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Fares Farms<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Owner<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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John Velasquez, Fares Farm, Prestonwood Farm, Inc. & Wall Street Racing, Inc.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Jockey<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Gary Stevens<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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